Intro post & poll

[Ashley&Scott]

Just thought it might be nice to do an intro post.

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?

[koalabear]

Im Katie-my dd is 2.5 months old and I also have a 19 month old son. Ds was bf for 5weeks and due to lack of research, support, and a bad day, i gave in and fed him formula. Then he didnt want bm anymore. Im much more educated this time and have more support and so far it's going much better than last time!

I've been bf dd for 2.5 months now-I nope to go as long as I can. I'd love to make it for a year but i set smaller goals, so right now I'm aiming for 4 months.

My favorite thing is seeing her thrive-she is 97% for height and 100% for weight. I love knowing that I. Helping her with that. My least favorite thing is how restricting it is. I feel like I can't do anything with my son or out at all because she will need to eat.
Best advice for starting out is to find support, whether it's your spouse, family, friends, or even an online board like this-having someone support you in your decision to bf makes a huge impact.
Both. Pumping is easier than I expected but feeding her while out/not at home is significantly harder than I thought it would be.

[Ashley&Scott]

I'm Ashley. DS is our first & he's 4mo, I've been bfing since he was born. My goal is 1 year but as I read more about extended bfing I can see us going that route.

My favorite thing (aside from the health benefits) is that it's so easy.(once you get over the initial hurdles) The milk is always ready, no bottles to prep, warm, wash, etc.

My least favorite is pumping & bagging/freezing milk. I'm thankful that I have enough for a stash but it's a pain in the butt to prep every day.

It was harder than I expected the first few weeks but now it's easier than I expected.

Best advice: don't give up, especially on a bad day. Do your research & have a good support system. Also get EMAB nipple butter.

[suesse2009]

Hi my name is Angela. I post every once in a while on the bump board. My daughter Nina is 9 months old and we have been breastfeeding since day 1. I do not have a specific time frame for my goal. I am planning on letting her self wean.

My favorite thing about breastfeeding is the bonding time. It is a time that it is just the two of us. I also like knowing my body is providing everything she needs. I had a difficult pregnancy with hyperemesis gravidarum. I felt a lot of guilt that my body couldn't take care of her the way it should. I promised her every day that when she was born I would take care of her the way I should.

I would say my least favorite thing is pumping. It isn't the actual pumping itself that I mind. My breastfeeding supply is fine but my pumping supply isn't. It is stressful to always be thinking about whether we have enough pumped milk for when I am gone.

The beginning was harder than I expected. I wasn't expecting her to act like she was starving all the time. I knew newborns nursed very frequently. With the hormones and recovering from a csection though I had an emotional time. I was so afraid that she wasn't getting enough. She was gaining weight and had nice wet and dirty diapers so I knew she was fine. It was just the first time mom in me being worried.

Advice for new moms- don't quit on a bad day. I never thought about quitting but there were some times where I understood why people stop breastfeeding when they do. Also enjoy this time with your baby. It is a special time that no one else in the world has with your baby.

[heyjude]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?

5 months, hope to get to a year and then who knows.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?

Favorite: bonding with baby.
Least favorite: the insecurity and pain in the beginning. Pumping.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?

At first, harder than actually giving birth. Now? No sweat.
Advice: don't give up! It gets easier!

[carriez]

My name is Carrie and I hope I can post here...my bf story is different from most. We had planned to bf but when Baby K arrived she refused to latch and about 3 hours after birth she was diagnosed with a cleft palate. We were advised that bf-ing would be almost impossible-the cleft means that she has no suck. We started her on formula due to concerns that many cleft babies struggle with weight gain. I started pumping and she gets about half of her daily intake from breast milk.

I've been pumping for 5 months and my short-term goal is to make it to 6 months but I'd like to make it to November (when Baby K will have the cleft repaired in surgery).

I really hate pumping, it is all of the hassle and none of the advantages (bonding etc). Particularly early on all I did was feed Baby K, pump, change a diaper and repeat! But, I know she's benefiting from the breast milk. She managed to avoid getting hand, foot and mouth disease at daycare last month, and whether bf was truly what protected her, I'm telling myself that it did...I need the motivation to keep pumping for another 6 months!

It is harder than I expected and my supply is low, so it stresses me out way more than I thought. My advice, don't make up your mind about anything ahead of time...I wanted to bf, but it is not an option for us, so I adapted.

[koalabear]

May 12, 2012 16:13:32 GMT -5 carriez said:

My name is Carrie and I hope I can post here...my bf story is different from most. We had planned to bf but when Baby K arrived she refused to latch and about 3 hours after birth she was diagnosed with a cleft palate. We were advised that bf-ing would be almost impossible-the cleft means that she has no suck. We started her on formula due to concerns that many cleft babies struggle with weight gain. I started pumping and she gets about half of her daily intake from breast milk.

I've been pumping for 5 months and my short-term goal is to make it to 6 months but I'd like to make it to November (when Baby K will have the cleft repaired in surgery).

I really hate pumping, it is all of the hassle and none of the advantages (bonding etc). Particularly early on all I did was feed Baby K, pump, change a diaper and repeat! But, I know she's benefiting from the breast milk. She managed to avoid getting hand, foot and mouth disease at daycare last month, and whether bf was truly what protected her, I'm telling myself that it did...I need the motivation to keep pumping for another 6 months!

It is harder than I expected and my supply is low, so it stresses me out way more than I thought. My advice, don't make up your mind about anything ahead of time...I wanted to bf, but it is not an option for us, so I adapted.

how wonderful! You are so committed! Pumping is a total pita ass at times, I cant imagine being ep. You are a rock star! Keep up the good work and go with baby k's surgery onion November!

[erins1508]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
- BFing for ~9.5m and plan to for as long as LO wants, at this point I'm thinking probably 2-3yrs. I plan to tandem feed if another LO shows up.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
- Favorite: now that he's older I love his silly BFing antics, like when he does "dive bomb nursing" and slams his head into me and laughs. Or when he looks up and smiles at me while nursing, melts my heart every time.
- Least Fav: pumping at work.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? I'm thankful to say easier, but I was really prepared for things to go wrong. It helped that LO was a good nurser from the get-go and I had TONS of support from H and family. It definitely wouldn't have been as easy without the help.

My advice is to get a good support system in place, my H was awesome at taking care of the house and me so I could just sit and feed baby. My family/friends who were successful at nursing filled in with answering the random questions and generally being positive. No one mentioned formula or questioned whether he was eating enough, etc. That would've been so hard to overcome during those early weeks when I was sleep deprived, hormonal and nervous.

[Ashley&Scott]

Carrie- I'm sorry to hear you've had some obstacles. It really sounds like you're doing great!!

And of course you are welcome here. EPing is bfing & comes with it's own set of challenges. Keep up the great work!

[grey56]

I am Jennifer and my daughter Nina is 10 months old. I've BFed her this whole time. :-) We do BLW so she's still not taking much for solids. My first goal was 1 year, but I am pretty sure I'll make that. My next goal is to make it through another winter but we'll do WCM in addition.

My favorite thing is how easy it is and how snuggly she gets. Least fav BY FAR is pumping at work and the constant worry (moreso in the beginning) if I was getting enough.

It is harder than I expected. I also didn't expect to love it as much. My husband wants me to stop BFing when she is 18 months old - but I think that his concern is more based on how insane I was getting if I had a low pumping day. I am not starting a discussion with him yet since there's so much time until she's close to that age....

My best advice for pumping is to look at your WEEKLY output vs. DAILY output.

Cheers!

[racheliz]

Hi, I'm Rachael. I have been bfing for 5 weeks now, DD is my first child. I plan on bfing for as long as I can, depending on how my supply does when I go back to work. Also depending on if my ulcerative colitis flares up (I'll have to go on meds that will keep me from bfing). I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't flare up.
My favorite thing is the bonding and knowing I am doing something good for DD. Least favorite is the time consumption.
At first it was much harder than I thought. DD would not latch without a shield and I felt like a failure, but we managed to wean off of it within 3 weeks. Now It's easy and I'm enjoying it much more than I thought.

My best advice is to take it one day at a time!

[Deleted]

I BF my second for five months until supply issues kicked my ass. This one is three months old and BF only. I'll likely start weaning him after his first birthday.

My favorite thing is a toss up between how adorable he looks at the breast and not washing bottles or dragging formula round.

It's easy peasy. I knew it would hurt the first few weeks and dear God, did it. It took a while to get his latch right and for my nips to adjust but it's all good in the hood.

My best advice is to make sure you're in touch with a lactation consultant and to find a pediatrician who is a breastfeeding supporter.

[ttaplehcar]

I'm Rachel. I have one five month old son who I'm currently breastfeeding.

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
I started breastfeeding a few hours after he was born (he wasn't with me at first), had to supplement, he started refusing the breast... I pumped until my pump died, pretty much quit, but was back at it again at 2 weeks with the help of multiple LC's. I got off the formula, had supply issues, had to supplement again at 1 month and started taking fenugreek and pumping to increase supply. He didn't get much in the way of supplementing, and I stopped as soon as he was gaining enough weight. I plan to BF for at least a year - I wouldn't mind going longer, but I plan on getting pregnant again within a year, and don't know if I'm cut out for tandem nursing, or if my supply will be able to keep up.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
I love the closeness. I love his gummy grins, and when he starts talking instead of eating because it's just too cute. I love cuddling him while I nurse him to sleep in the middle of the night (ok, he sttn usually, but the rare occasion...). I hate how hard it was. I hate when he gets distracted and tries to roll away mid-nursing session... But the second I cover up again he's like "wait! I'm not done!"

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
The beginning was harder. Supply issues are the worst. They are real. And I want to punch people who say everyone can breastfeed like it's no big deal. If I wasn't so stubborn, I wouldn't have made it. I did quit. And it's OK to quit if you have to! You can come back to it. Supply issues are real, but stressing about it only makes it worse.

[kelly1014]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? DD is 4 months old right now and has been EBF from the start. I also BF DS but not for very long. I plan to BF DD until a year at the absolute minimum, but more likely until 2. DS has horrible food allergies and asthma and our doctors (and me) are all in the "longer is better" boat in hopes of avoiding some of the allergies asthma, as well as getting the other BFing benefits.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
I love how easy it is to BF, but it is sometimes tiring to be her only food source.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
SO much easier! I had issue after issue with DS, but this time it's wonderful!
The only 'hard' part right now is that I'm dairy free and possibly soy/wheat free in the near future.

[mie]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
I BF my first for 16 months, my second for 17 months and my youngest will be a year old soon and still BFing. After a year I just play it by ear.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
I love spending time with each of them, especially the before bed session. The thing I dislike is having to pump at work. I hate pumping.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
BF was harder than I thought it would be and painful in the beginning. Things got better after two weeks, but those first weeks were hard!

I will say that BFing kids 2and 3 has been easier, but I was surprised by the cramping pains in my uterus. That was painful for a week.

[redheadbaker]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? Been BFing almost six months; plan to do it as long as DS wants, whether it's 9 months, 18 months, 24+ months

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? I love that it's (now) easy and cheap, lol! Sounds cheesy, but it's just amazing to me that I make food for my son with my body. My least favorite part was getting started. DS had a deceptively bad latch (took 3 LC's to realize he was latching incorrectly) and it was REALLY painful.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? I didn't take a class, just read a book (So That's What They're For), and it was about what I expected. My best advice would be, even if you have a supportive DH/S.O., find a breastfeeding support group where you feel comfortable. It made a world of difference in easing my worries.

[aspentosh]

Hiya! (BTW, my nest name was SoonToBeMsP)

I have been BFing since DD was born, so just under 4 months now. I plan to BF until at least one, and then reevaluate.

Favorite- bonding, ease of it when out and about, and how I can easily nurse DD to sleep.

Least favorite- sometimes she won't get a good latch on my right side and I'll get a blister which hurts like hell.

Much harder for those first 6 weeks, but now it's pretty easy going. My best advice, which I heard on the BFing board a million times- don't quit on a bad day. That saved me on more than one occasion and I am so happy I didn't quit!

[Deleted]

Hi! I'm Jen and have been BFing DD since day 1. I also have a 2.5 year old son that I wasn't interested in breastfeeding but attempted to EP after a reduction. That lasted 6 weeks until I gave up w supplementing and put him on formula. He ended up w a milk protein intolerance and soy and peanut allergy, thankfully has outgrown all, so here I am with DD.

So far she's been 100% healthy, no intolerances. I dont particularly enjoy breastfeeding, but I produce enough, so I'd feel too guilty to quit. She is an angry nurser, a lot of thrashing, pulling, hitting and kicking but some days are better than others. Following the don't quit on a bad day rule is another reason I'm still doing it.

I set a 2 month goal, made it. Now I'm hoping to go to 6. I'm undecided about breastfeeding a baby w teeth so depending on what happens I may EP w formula supplementation. Will not go past 1 year.

I hate to pump and my body doesn't respond well so for that reason I'm glad I stay home. We battled thrush with little pedi and OB help for 6 weeks until the begging finally paid off. I also dread feeding in public (angry nursing so I either make quick trips after a feed, which is hard when you have to get a 2 year old out, or I pump a bottle and bring it.

I usually lurk to learn more than I'm able to contribute and I find this to be an extremely helpful board.

Ashley - not sure if you saw my question on our local, but how much is Marshall eating at a weighed feeding now? When DD was 10
days old she was at 2.5 so I am curious now that they are older.

[froggy76]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?

6 months tomorrow!!! I would like to BF until DD weans herself, but I am so sick of pumping that I may give that up sooner. I think I'll try to make it to 9 months and then re-evaluate.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?

Favorite: when DD falls asleep nursing in my arms. Least favorite: Not sure, there are so many things I dislike- the huge time suck, having to plan ahead to be away from DD for any period of time, pumping, etc.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?

Definitely harder. We haven't run into any problems whatsoever, but I still never realized how much of a commitment it is. It's so worth it though because the bonding time is incredible.

[ns1]

Hello all!

I can't say I'll be here very often...I tend to have an on and off relationship with these boards!

I've been bf'ing since DD was born, about 7 months now.

I plan on bf'ing until DD is 1 year, and then I'll drop pumping at work and nurse morning and night until one of us decides it's not working!

My favorite thing is watching DD grow and change in how she nurses, how she interacts when nursing, how she's growing, etc! My least favorite thing is pumping! Ugh!

At first it was harder and much more time consuming than I thought, but now it's really easy and convenient!

[Ashley&Scott]

Hey Jen-

I totally missed your question, sorry about that.

The weighed feeds vary, we've had a couple of weeks where he ate just under 2oz but those were also times that he had eaten within the hour before we went. We had another time he ate 4.5oz but then spit up after the weight check. I think he over ate then because he usually doesn't spit up. So long story short he's taken 2-4.5oz. I have a feeling 2-3oz is "normal" for him.

Have you thought any more about coming to the Mommy & Me class? I think I going to go this week.

[Deleted]

May 13, 2012 18:08:30 GMT -5 Ashley&Scott said:

Hey Jen-

I totally missed your question, sorry about that.

The weighed feeds vary, we've had a couple of weeks where he ate just under 2oz but those were also times that he had eaten within the hour before we went. We had another time he ate 4.5oz but then spit up after the weight check. I think he over ate then because he usually doesn't spit up. So long story short he's taken 2-4.5oz. I have a feeling 2-3oz is "normal" for him.

Have you thought any more about coming to the Mommy & Me class? I think I going to go this week.

I can't really plan anything in advance ever but if I do end up going I'll shoot you a message before

[likeagoodidea]

May 12, 2012 11:14:48 GMT -5 Ashley&Scott said:

How long have you been bfing?
Since my daughter was born 5.5 weeks ago.

How long do you plan to bf?
My goal is 6 months, maybe a year.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
I have had pain since day 1. I am hoping it gets better ASAP. I also hate worrying about everything like thrush, bad latch, is she getting enough, too much, pumping, mastisis, etc.

I love the bond with her. I didn't realize just how much until I had to give her a bottle one day.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
So much harder than I thought. I agree with the advice that you should get a ped and OB that are pro-BF. That has hindered some things for me. And do your research ahead of time. I knew it was going to have challenges and I think I was at least educated before hand.

[AmyG]

I'm posting as a guest, I don't know that I have time for another board to post at.

I am AmyG
I nursed my two boys for 50 months combined.

I've been a peer breastfeeding counselor online since mid to late 2000. so um, almost 12 years now.

To the person above who asked, a breastfed baby usually takes in 2-3 oz at the breast every 2-3 hours--those are amounts from weighted feedings and they don't go up much at all when baby gets older, maybe up to 3-4 oz if they are only eating 6-8 times a day. average is 1 oz since the last feeding. occassionally they'll really stuff themselves with a big feeding early in the am, as the amount of ounces is higher and the amount of calories per ounce in the am tends to be lower.

and to the person with ulcerative colitis, be sure to call infant risk and get the info on the meds you need to take so you know if there are any meds that are safe or safer for breastfeeding. many doctors just don't know what is safe in breastfeeding and will default to the physician's desk reference which only lists the testing the pharmaceutical companies HAD to do for the FDA approval, which usually doesn't include breastfeeding safety.

[eav2c]

Hello!!!

My LO is 6 weeks old and I plan on Bfing for atleast a year if not longer. But I am taking it day by day. Sooo we shall see!

Other than the bonding aspect, I love how convienent Bfing is. There isn't much I hate about it except that I feel gross a lot due to leaking and all that jazz.

Bfing as been very easy for me... I've been lucky. I haven't dealt with cracked/sore/bleeding nips and LO caught on right away. With that said, while I have been fortunate in those aspects, I have major NIP anxiety so... Anyone with advice in that category...I'd appreciate it!

[mrshandy]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? 22 months (holy moly), whenever DS wants to wean, I'm hoping that is within the next 6 months since we want to TTC in fall and I still haven't had a PP period.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing? Favorite - it really is awesome for cuddling and bonding with DS, least favorite - pumping

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? honestly we've had a pretty smooth experience. Apart from the first few weeks, it was pretty easy.

[clynn58]

I bf DS #1 for 11 months and DS#2 is bf twice a day at 14 months will cont till ?

My fav thing is just the closeness it brings. The least fav thing about it is that the last few months have been really hard emotionally and sometiimes I thought it would be easier jsut the throw the kid a bottle. Pumping sucksass too and I quit pumping when he was 5 months old and had a freezer full that I was able to give him while at school without having to pump anymore.

I best advice is to learn how to lay down and breastfeed and to pump so you can have a break once in awhile.

[Ashley&Scott]

May 14, 2012 0:19:00 GMT -5 eav2c said:

Hello!!!

My LO is 6 weeks old and I plan on Bfing for atleast a year if not longer. But I am taking it day by day. Sooo we shall see!

Other than the bonding aspect, I love how convienent Bfing is. There isn't much I hate about it except that I feel gross a lot due to leaking and all that jazz.

Bfing as been very easy for me... I've been lucky. I haven't dealt with cracked/sore/bleeding nips and LO caught on right away. With that said, while I have been fortunate in those aspects, I have major NIP anxiety so... Anyone with advice in that category...I'd appreciate it!

Have you been to any BF support groups or LLL meetings? It's nice because you bring LO & everyone is nursing. It helps you feel more comfortable & you can practice NIP.

[Mushe]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf?
DS is 5.5 mo, and I EBF. My goal is a year for pumping at work, but maybe keep up morning/evening nursing sessions a while longer.

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
I haaate pumping. I went back to work at 4 mo and was pumping 3x, and quickly cut that down to 2. I also pump one side in the morning before feeding off the other side.

I love the closeness of bfing, and having our special time.

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out?
It was hard at first - supply and latch issues - but once we got that figured out it's been easy peasy. I'm lucky that DS doesn't seem intolerant to the things I like to eat.

Best advice is to see an LC early, and never quit bfing on your hardest day.

[anweber]

How long have you been bfing? How long do you plan to bf? My DD just turned 6 mos. and we've been bfing since day 1. I hope to bf past a year and let self ween

What is your favorite & least favorite thing about bfing?
Favorite-when she looks at me and smiles while nursing
Least-Pumping since I work full time

Is it easier or harder than you expected? Give you best advice for those just starting out? I think some aspects are easier than I expected and some a lot harder. Patience is the best advice